Friday, March 22, 2013

Early Literacy in Television

When it comes to television programs fostering and supporting new and developing leaders, PBS clearly has the edge. During my research, four out of the five programs which appear to have the strongest early literacy and language components came from PBS—Between the Lions, Word World, Super WHY!, and Sesame Street. The remaining program I researched and evaluated, Pinky Dinky Doo, had far less educational intentionality than these four programs, although it is produced and created by Sesame Workshop- the powerhouse behind many PBS programs, most notably Sesame Street.

Between the Lions - PBS

Between the Lions is “an Emmy Award-winning, PBS children's television show that focuses on phonics and early reading skills in an entertaining format featuring puppetry, animation, live action, and plenty of music. Lion puppet parents Theo and Cleo, with some help from their children Lionel and Leona, run the local library for human and animal patrons alike, vowing always to be helpful, designated readers who never eat their customers.”[i] Developed by “several members of the original creative team of Sesame Street,” [ii]  Between the Lions is designed to “help kids ages 3 to 7 learn to read. Unique among the hundreds of programs aimed at children, this puppet, animated, and live-action show is based on a detailed and rigorous literacy curriculum.”[iii] It was developed in “extensive and ongoing consultation with reading professionals. The result is a lively, educational blend of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and other teaching methods for preschool, kindergarten, and first grade students. Several independent, scientifically-based reading research studies have shown that Between the Lions has a significant impact in increasing children's literacy.”[iv] Between the Lions has been “the subject of several independent, scientifically-based reading research studies assessing the effectiveness of the series in achieving its literacy goals. These studies have all shown that Between the Lions has a significant impact on increasing children's literacy”: University of Kansas Study, 2000; Mississippi State University Study, 2001-2002; Harvard University Study, 2001-2002; University of Pennsylvania Study, 2004-2005; University of Mississippi Study, 2005-2006; Children NOW Study, 2008; and Mississippi Literacy Initiative Evaluation, 2009.[v]

Lion parents “Theo and Cleo, with some help from their children Lionel and Leona, run the local library for human and animal patrons alike, vowing always to be helpful, designated readers who never eat their customers. Each of season one's 30 episodes begins with the Lion family reading a story--anything from classic Greek myths, to Old West stories and tongue twisters--with animated pages that spring to life and spark the imagination of young reader Lionel and his pre-school-age sister Leona.”[vi] Each 30-minute show revolves around the cast of characters in the library as they discover the power and pleasure connected to reading and storytelling. The show introduces early literacy elements like the sounds letters make and rhyming as well as fluency, sight words and early phonics.[vii] In each episode, a vowel sound group (like the short "a" in the sound group "ack") is emphasized. Words containing the sound group (e.g., "back," "sack," and "crack") flash briefly on the screen, while letters are bumped to form new words as they are spoken.[viii]

Access & Rating: While broadcast on PBS, not available on Amazon Streaming Video, Hulu, or Netflix. VHS and DVD format available. Amazon Rating: 4.8 stars out of 5 (VHS Box Set).

WordWorld - PBS

Emmy Award-winning and Parent’s Choice Award-winning children's series WordWorld stars Duck and his WordFriends, “has been demonstrated by a US Department of Education funded study to improve reading skills. WordFriends embark on adventures where the only way to save the day is to 'build a word'. When a word is built correctly, it morphs into the thing it represents and comes alive!”[ix]  Word building “reinforces the pre-reading concept that letters (and their sounds) make words, and that words have real meaning…and power. The series also introduces literacy concepts that preschoolers will encounter as they become readers, such as sounding out letters and rhyming. The WordFriends go on comic adventures and face challenges that can only be resolved with the right word. That word is built letter by letter, sound by sound, during the funky “Build a Word” song at the end of every episode. Once the word is built, it “morphs”–comes alive–into the thing it is!”[x]

WordWorld is “grounded in scientifically based reading research and incorporates the recommendations of the landmark report Teaching Children to Read by the National Reading Panel (2000). Additionally, as recommended by researchers, WordWorld immerses children in a language-rich environment. Literacy experts and advisors in the fields of child development, psychology and education are an integral part of the WordWorld team and review content throughout the development process. WordWorld is also continually informed by formative research with preschool children, teachers and parents, conducted by the Michael Cohen Group. Results from these ongoing studies guide the development and production of WordWorld. The curriculum of WordWorld is designed to introduce, support and foster emergent literacy skills in children ages three to five. The curriculum draws from four skill sets critical for young children’s emergent literacy: print awareness, phonological sensitivity and letter knowledge, comprehension (including vocabulary development) and socio-emotional skills.”[xi] Series-based research on WordWorld has “proven a significant impact in children’s literacy skill development by watching this program”.[xii]

Access & Rating: In addition to being broadcast on PBS, available on Amazon Streaming Video and Hulu; not available on Netflix. VHS and DVD format also available. Amazon Rating: 5 stars out of 5 (Season 1). Hulu Rating: 3 starts out of 5 (series).

Super WHY! - PBS

Super WHY! “takes an innovative approach to learning by promoting reading as a powerful, meaningful experience for children aged 3 to 6 years old. SUPER WHY promotes the key skills recommended by the National Reading Panel, including: Emerging Literacy Concepts; Phonemic Awareness; The Alphabet Code; Fluency; Text Comprehension; Spelling; Written Expression/Handwriting and Motivating Children to Read.”[xiii][xiv]

Each episode features “a reading adventure in Storybrook Village, a magical 3-D world hidden behind the bookshelves in a children's library… Each episode starts with a preschool relatable problem. In every episode, one of the friends encounters a problem with another Storybrook Village character (For instance, Jill from the Jack and Jill rhyme is not being nice). As in real life, the problems require preschool social skills to resolve. And that's when SUPER WHY gets super-powered! Whyatt calls his fairy tale friends to their secret clubhouse, named "The Book Club," where they transform themselves from mere mortals into literacy-powered super heroes: Alpha Pig with "Alphabet Power," Wonder Red with "Word Power," Princess Presto with "Spelling Power," Super Why with the "Power to Read," and your child-Super You, with the "Power to Help." Using their super powers, these Super Readers literally fly inside books. "Inside" each book the Super Readers lead the viewer on an engaging reading adventure. They talk to fictional characters from the story, play reading games and activities to overcome obstacles, search for Super Letters, and practice such key skills as letter identification, word decoding, spelling, vocabulary and comprehension… What's unique about this approach is that while kids are learning and practicing the ABC's of reading, they're also thinking about what they're reading, applying reasoning skills to see the story in a real-life context and experiencing books in a powerful new way.”[xv]

According to a review of Super WHY!, “Not only does this inviting animated series encourage preschoolers to expand their early literacy skills through interactive reading, word games, and spelling challenges, it also draws comparisons between the lessons in classic tales like The Three Little Pigs and real-world troubles that kids will easily relate to. The stories' morals also remind youngsters that many problems can be resolved by communication and compassion.”[xvi]

Two studies on Super WHY! “prove that viewing Super WHY! can indeed play a major role in the acquisition of early literacy abilities that lead to the development of reading success… Over time, kids who watched Super WHY! showed significant gains on alphabet knowledge, phonological and phonemic awareness, symbolic and linguistic awareness, and comprehension. Watching Super WHY! dramatically improved preschoolers’ letter and sound naming speeds, skills that are directly linked to conventional reading achievement.”[xvii]

Access & Rating: In addition to being broadcast on PBS, available on Amazon Streaming Video, Hulu, and Netflix. Available in DVD format; VHS not available. Amazon Rating: 4.7 stars out of 5 (Streaming Seasons). Hulu Rating: 3 starts out of 5 (series).


Sesame Street - PBS

Sesame Street’s first listed objective is to “Develop early language and literacy skills such as letter knowledge, vocabulary, and reading and writing fundamentals. Since its debut in 1969, Sesame Street has been grounded on a comprehensive whole-child curriculum that supports preschoolers' cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development. [xviii]  Sesame Street was
“designed to help children transition from home to school by introducing the alphabet and numbers through interesting characters, songs and stories. One of the many elements of Sesame Street's success is their commitment to keeping the shows developmentally appropriate based on the most recent research, and also sensitive to cultural and social differences.”[xix]

As of 2009, Sesame Street has earned 122 Emmy wins.[xx] The curriculum is created by in-house child psychologists, educators, and educational advisors, incorporating the latest research in child development and innovative approaches in early childhood education. While the series is designed to address all areas of children's learning and development, the primary curricular focus changes every one or two seasons in order to meet preschoolers' current critical needs.”[xxi] Each episode “is stocked with reasoning games, sounding out letters and words, counting, pattern recognition and other important early literacy and math skills appropriate for young children.”[xxii] The show capitalizes on kids' natural love of learning and celebrates diversity by exploring different cultures and incorporating both Muppet and flesh-and-blood characters of all ages, colors, races, and physical abilities.[xxiii]

Children who watch the show as two-year-olds gain an advantage in math, vocabulary, and other school readiness skills by the time they are five. [xxiv]

Access & Rating: In addition to being broadcast on PBS, available on Netflix and on Amazon Streaming Video; not available on Hulu. VHS and DVD format also available in large supply. Netflix Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 (Recent Seasons); 3.9 stars out of 5 (Classic Episodes).

Pinky Dinky Doo – Nick Jr. and Univision

Pinky Dinky Doo loves to “make up stories -- outrageous, bizarre, silly stories. Every episode features a story, made up by Pinky for her brother Tyler and Mr. Guinea Pig, with a strong beginning, middle, and end that are full of meaty metaphors, silly similes, and sometimes even a great take-home message.”[xxv] “From each episode's presentation of a new word -- which either Pinky or Tyler defines and then precedes with a trumpet fanfare each time it's used -- to the involvement of the adorable Mr. Guinea Pig in each story, Pinky Dinky Doo is enlightening as well as silly, funny, and entertaining.”[xxvi]

Pinky Dinky Doo promotes reading and imaginative storytelling by encouraging children to participate in funny and fantastic stories, games, and songs that support critical early literacy skills. The series has four primary goals: celebrating the power of inventing and sharing stories, through the showcasing of the storytelling process, demonstrating to children that stories come from ideas in people's heads; introducing basic narrative elements, including characters, dialogue, main ideas, sequence of events, details; providing opportunities to use effective listening comprehension strategies; and expanding vocabulary through stories, by focusing on the meaning of words and concepts within the context of the story and using rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration.[xxvii]

Access & Rating: Although no longer broadcasting new episodes, available on Netflix and on Amazon Streaming Video; not available on Hulu. Available in DVD format; VHS not available. Netflix Rating: 3.3 stars out of 5 (Series); Amazon Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5 (Streaming Videos).

 

This area- television programs promoting early literacy- was both easier and harder than other formats. Easier in the sense that there was significantly more literature on the programs themselves, but more difficult in that there are so many episodes it is difficult to say “This is exactly what the program entails” short of the information provided by the production company.

As the parent of two small children, out of these five programs, the two programs they ask to watch are WordWorld and SuperWHY!, both of which have supporting research proving their “worth” to the support of early literacy.

The other challenging element was the “recommended audience” listed online. Often times the websites would list age range older than what I was expecting- for example, seeing Sesame Street recommended up to age seven. While the content may be relevant up to that age group, I have hard time seeing a typical seven year old actively seeking out Sesame Street, although they may enjoy it. Common Sense Media made the most of this age discrepancy by listing the intended audience age range, what parents say is the appropriate age, and what children actually demonstrate. In most cases- except for Between the Lions, all of the other programs skewed younger. Conversely, Between the Lions, at least when it came to the parents’ opinions, skewed older than the intended audience.

As a parent of young children who are familiar with and use streaming content, I felt it important that digital access also be noted, as well as ratings on those digital content providers.



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